Flashlight holder



FLASHLIGHT HOLDER James E. Stoker, East Springfield, and Donald L. Messenger, Girard, Pa.

Application October 30, 1953, Serial No. 389,409

3 Claims. (Cl. 240-525) This invention relates to a novel holder for demountably supporting a flashlight and which holder is adapted to be mounted on a relatively thin upright member such as an automobile window.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a holder primarily adapted for use with a specially constructed flashlight intended to be employed by firemen, police and others driving privately owned automobiles for giving a visual warning to other motorists that the driver is on duty and making an emergency trip to a fire, accident or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unique holder for cooperation with a uniquely constructed flashlight whereby a visual signal from the flashlight and holder may be seen by other motorists from both the front and the rear of the vehicle equipped with the holder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel flashlight holder which when not in use may be carried conveniently in the glove compartment of an automobile and which, when needed, may be quickly mounted in an applied position for supporting a flashlight externally of the vehicle.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a novel portable signal holder which will eliminate the need for volunteer firemen and policemen to equip their private automobiles with special signal lights for use in emergencies.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view looking toward the outer side of the holder as shown in an applied position and with a flashlight supported thereby;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly in horizontal section thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by thcline 3--3 of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 44 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view looking from left to right of Figure 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the novel flashlight and holder in its entirety and comprising the invention is designated general1y 7 and includes a holder, designated generally 8, and a flashlight, designated generally 9, especially adapted for use with the holder 8.

The holder 8 includes a rigid plate 10 having an upper portion 11 which is thickened on the inner side thereof. A plate 12 formed of a resilient material, such as spring steel, has an upper portion disposed against the inner side of the plate portion 11 and suitably secured thereto as by screw fastenings 13. A major portion of the resilient plate 12 is disposed below its upper secured portion and is offset outwardly and away from the thinner major lower portion of the plate 10, as best seen in Figure 3.

nited States Patent 0 Said lower portion of the resilient plate 12 is laterally spaced from the inner side of the plate 11 and forms a resilient clamping jaw 14 of a clamp, the other stationary jaw of which is formed by the plate 10. The bottom edge of the resilient clamping jaw 14 is preferably flared outwardly and away from the stationary jaw or plate 10, as seen at 15. The adjacent faces of the jaws as defined by the lower portion of the plate 10 and the resilient jaw 14 are lined with strips 16 of a cushioning material such as rubber, felt or the like.

The holder 8 includes a relatively long bracket, designated generally 17, of channel shaped or U-shaped cross section including corresponding legs 18 which project at substantially right angles from the side edges of the intermediate portion of the bracket 17 which forms an outer wall 19. The longitudinal edge portions of the legs or flanges 18, which are disposed remote from the wall 19, are flared outwardly and suitably secured as by soldering or welding, as seen at 20, to the outer side of the rigid plate 10, so that the outer wall 19 will be disposed substantially parallel to the plate 10 and spaced outwardly a substantial distance therefrom.

As best seen in Figure 2, the bracket 17 has a bar portion 21 forming an integral extension of one end of the wall 19 and which projects at an oblique angle therefrom and in a direction inwardly with respect to said bracket. Said bar or extension 21 terminates in an integral flared arcuate portion 22 which preferably defines a segment of a circle, the portion of which, located immediately adjacent the bar 21, is disposed at an oblique angle to said bar 21 and in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the outer wall 19, as seen in Figure 2. Said outer portion or circle segment 22 has integral outwardly extending circumferentially spaced mounting lips 23 which are provided with outwardly turned back distal ends 24.

A translucent or transparent lens member 25 has a substantially flat circular or disk-like central portion 26 and a flared outer portion 27. Said flared outer portion 27 extends inwardly with respect to the ring segment 22 and has portions of the periphery thereof engaging against the lips 23. When thus disposed, as illustrated in Figure 1, the outwardly turned back distal ends 24 of said lips bear against portions of the outer side of the flared lens portions 27 and are secured thereto by suitable fastenings 28, for mounting the holder lens 25 immovably with respect to its mounting segment 22. The holder lens 25 may be formed of any suitable transparent or translucent material, preferably a plastic and may be either clear or colored. V

A spring clamp 29, formed from a single strip of re silient metal, has an intermediate portion 30 which engages flush against the outer side of a portion of the bracket wall 19, at the end thereof remote from the extension 21, and which is secured thereto in any suitable manner as by means of a nut and bolt fastening 31. The clamp 29 includes corresponding legs 32 which project from opposite edges of said intermediate portion 30 in outwardly diverging relationship to one another. Said legs 32 have inwardly turned portions adjacent the terminals thereof in which are formed transversely elongated slots 33 through which extend-portions of sleeve members 34 which are thereby mounted turnably on outer bar portions 35 of the legs 32. The

sleeves 34 have knurled or ribbed peripheries and are.

preferably formed of rubber for frictional gripping engagement with a portion of the barrel 36 of the flashlight 9.

The flashlight 9 is more fully disclosed in our copending application, Serial No; 389,408 filed October 30, 1953, now Patent No. 2,695,403, issued November 23, 1954. However, the flashlight 9 includes a flasher unit 37 which is mounted thereon and by means of which either a flashing or steady light may be emitted by the flashlight, as fully disclosed in our copending application. The flashlight g includes a unique lens, designated generally 33, which cooperates in a unique manner with the holder 8. Said lens 33 is formed of a transparent or translucent material, preferably a plastic, and includes a front substantially fiat wall 39, as best seen in Figure 4, which is preferably circular, approximately of the same diameter as the holder lens portion 26. The flashlight lens 38 also includes an annular side wall 4:? which extends inwardly from the periphery of the front wall 39 and an inner annular wall 41, which extends inwardly from the inner edge of the side wall 40 and which is disposed substantially parallel to the front Wall 39. The lens 38 also includes an externally threaded annular mounting flange 42 which projects inwardly at substantially a right angle from the inner edge of the wall 41 and which is externally threaded to threadedly engage the internally threaded outer end 43 of the head 44 of the flashlight barrel 36. The inner wall 41 is preferably additionally provided on its exterior side and around the mounting flange 42 with a thickened portion the periphery of which forms wrench lands 45, by which the lens can be gripped for applying it to or removing it from the head 44.

As illustrated in the drawing, the holder lens 25 forms a socket for the flashlight lens 38 which seats in the inner recessed rear side thereof and whereby the forward end of the flashlight 9 is demountably supported in the holder 8. The flashlight barrel 36 is detachably held near its rear end in the clamp 29 between the resilient friction sleeve members 34 for immovably mounting the flashlight detachably in said holder.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the holder 8 with the flashlight 9 applied thereto or detached therefrom may be conveniently carried in the glove compartment of an automobile. When required for use, the holder 3 with the flashlight mounted therein may be detachably mounted on a vehicle door window 46, as for example the front left-hand door window, by slipping the jaws 10 and 14 over the upper edge of said Window. The spring jaw 14 is thus sprung away from the rigid jaw 10 and into a position substantially parallel thereto for clamping the holder to the window, while in a lowered position. The cushioning strips 16 will prevent damage to the window 46 and will afford a tight fitting connection. The Window may then be raised, if desired, so that the upper end of the plate portion 11 will bear against the top of the door opening 47 to prevent accidental removal of the holder and flashlight from its applied position as illustrated in the drawing. The plate 10 and parts supported thereby are mounted on the outer side of the window 46 with the flashlight facing forwardly of the vehicle. rdinarily, the flashlight lens 33 is of the same color as the holder lens except for the front lens wall 39 which is transparent and not colored.

Assuming that lens 25 and lens walls 40 and 41 are blue. for use by volunteer firemen, or red for use by volunteer police, in accordance with the practice of certain states and jurisdictions, the firemen or policemen in driving private vehicles to the scene of a fire or emergency mount the signal means 8, 9 as previously described and as illustrated in the drawing, and will close a circuit of the flashlight which includes the flasher 37, in a manner as fully described in our copending application heretofore referred to, so that a flashing light will be produced. The emitted flashing light rays will appear of a color corresponding to lens 25 and lens walls 40 and 41 and will be viewed from the front of the vehicle on which the device is mounted through the lens portions 26 and 39 and may be seen from behind the vehicle through the flashlight lens portions 40 and 41 to serve as a warning to other motorists that the vehicle carrying the holder and flashlight is driven by a fireman or policeman on an emergency call.

After reaching the point of the emergency, the flashlight may be removed for use separately and another circuit thereof closed to provide a steady light.

Obviously, the lens 25 and lens mounting segment 22 may be reduced in size so that the lens 25 will form a socket to receive the head of a conventional flashlight and the lens 25 may be of clear transparent material or colored, as desired. If of a clear material, the holder 8 with a conventional flashlight may be employed as an auxiliary searchlight or spotlight. It will also be apparent that the holder may be mounted on the upper edge of other Wall-like members than a vehicle Window for supporting a flashlight for emitting either clear or colored light rays.

Various other modifications and changes are likewise contemplated and may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A flashlight holder comprising a clamp including a rigid plate and a resilient plate, said plates being connectcd along complementary edges thereof and having unsecured portions between which a panel member portion is adapted to be clamped for mounting the holder detachably thereon, a bracket member connected to an outer side of said rigid plate, a lens mounting extension projecting from one end of said bracket member, a holder lens of light permeable material connected to and supported by said extension transversely of said bracket member, said lens having a substantially flat central portion and a flared outer portion extending toward said bracket and defining a socket adapted to receive the head of a flashlight, and a spring clamp secured to and projecting from the opposite end of said bracket and adapted to releasably clamp partially around a portion of the flashlight barrel remote from the head portion thereof, said lens mounting extension including a substantially semicircular portion disposed concentrically of and inwardly with respect to a part of the flared lens portion, said semicircular portion having circumferentially spaced outwardly projecting lens attaching elements engaging over and secured to portions of the outer side of said flared lens portion.

2. A flashlight holder as in claim 1, a part of said semicircular lens mounting portion being disposed in a bottommost position and engaging under the bottommost portion of the flashlight head for supporting the forward end of the head within the holder lens.

3. A flashlight holder as in claim 2, said holder lens,

- said semicircular portion and said spring clamp being supported coaxially of one another by said bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent mil" 2' 

